In the forum here, Neal Meyer comments on something that’s been bugging me for awhile now: public meetings. What good are they, really?
We’ve all watched Metro go through the motions of public meetings, but with the exception of the Richmond Avenue line, Metro has shown no real inclination to adjust its plans to deal with public concerns. Will the poorer sections of town, that don’t have the resources and influence of the Richmond Avenue property owners, be able force Metro to change its plans? Doubtful. And Metro probably isn’t sweating those little blips on its radar.
At the Grand Parkway F-2 segment public meetings a couple of weeks ago, state Reps. Corbin Van Arsdale and Debbie Riddle demanded to know who in a decision-making capacity was present at the meetings. As they say, crickets chirped and tumbleweeds rolled by. The bigwigs who will determine what happens to the Spring neighborhoods scheduled for demolition weren’t even there to hear the public’s concerns!
And what about the public comments time at Houston City Council meetings or Harris County Commissioner’s Court? Can you recall those elected officials ever actually listening to citizens’ concerns and acting upon them?
I just fail to see the point of public meetings if officials can do whatever they want no matter what. Oh, you say, that’s what the voting booth is for. But that doesn’t apply to a quasi-governmental agency like Metro, whose officials are appointed, not elected. Same with the Harris County Houston Sports Authority. And the Grand Parkway’s board is appointed by the Texas Transportation Commission (talk about out of reach!).
Something is seriously out of whack.
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